The North and the South during the early 19th century
The North and the South underwent opposing as well as divergent development during the first part of the nineteenth century. The previous American Revolution was largely to blame for this. Up until the American Civil War, the North and the South developed separate economies, political systems, and cultures. The North developed into an industrial and manufacturing country, whereas the South became a slave-based agricultural kingdom. The North was greatly impacted by social reform groups like abolitionism and the rights of women. (Allen, Murphy, and Schneider, 2012). The south did not promote reforms since the inhabitants of the place mostly opposed or abstained from any reforms. There were also sectional differences that existed between the colonies of the two regions.
Development of the North
The North became a manufacturing place because of the conditions that were present; this started in New England due to the poor soil which was not suitable for agriculture. Large-scale farming was mostly unprofitable but the waterways which were highly extensive, as well as a steady number of immigrants, was vital to the favoring of manufacturing (Allen, Murphy, and Schneider, 2012). The huge number of immigrants was able to provide labor in the manufacturing industries while the waterways acted as a means to provide power for the mills. The waterways were also beneficial for the development of trade.
Due to manufacturing in the North, there was a booming commercial life amongst the people as well as an increasing range of urban activities and services (Allen, Murphy, and Schneider, 2012). Economic and cultural ties developed were influenced by the industrialization that followed the 1812 war, leading to the formation of societies hence the growth of urban centers. Small mills later paved way for larger as well as more productive industries which also resulted in the expansion of the market (Allen, Murphy, and Schneider, 2012). Therefore, factories were the centers of planned towns in order to accommodate the owners as well as workers.
Economic path of the South
The South, on the other hand, took a different economic path as compared to the North. After the American Revolution, tobacco income was not desirable; cotton became the new economic reinvigoration in the South (Fite, 2015). Eli Whitney, for instance, invented the cotton gin which became widespread in the colonies because it made the plantations to be efficient as well as profitable (Fite, 2015). Textile industries in the North and in Britain were becoming large as the demand for cotton grew. The south was endowed with good climate as well as soil which favored the growth of cotton and in addition to demand, this factor led to an increase in plantations.
The large-scale farming sparked an increase in the demand for slaves who would offer cheap labor in the cotton fields. Although Congress banned slave importation in 1808, smuggling continued in order to balance the high demand with production. The population of slaves therefore increased; 75 percent of were working in cotton plantations (Fite, 2015). As a result of an increased number of slaves in the South, a different culture as well as economy developed. Politics were also based on the type of people present. Cotton plantations continued to increase in the South and by 1850, the Southern part of the United States produced more than 75 percent of the world’s cotton (Fite, 2015). The South, therefore, remained rural as well as agrarian as rich plantation owners did not see the need for industrialization projects.
References
Allen, R. C., Murphy, T. E., & Schneider, E. B. (2012). The colonial origins of the divergence in the Americas: a labor market approach. The Journal of Economic History, 72(4), 863-894.
Fite, G. C. (2015). Cotton fields no more: Southern agriculture, 1865-1980. University Press of Kentucky.
